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Regulations 
Governing Physical Examinations 



PRESCRIBED BY THE PRESIDENT UNDER 

AUTHORITY OF THE ACT OF CONGRESS 

APPROVED MAY 18, 1917 




FORM NO. 11, P. M.G.O. 



WITH MODIFICATIONS TO AUGUST 27. 1917 



WASHINGTON 

[GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE r 
1917 



_J 



U833S 
•AS" 

13 17 



War Department, 
Washington, July 2, 1917. 
Under authority vested in him bv the act of May 18, 1917, the 
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES prescribes the follow- 
ing Regulations Governing Physical Examinations under said act, 
and directs that said Regulations be published for the government 
of all concerned and that they be strictly observed. 

Newton D. Baker, 

Secretary of War. 

(2) 



# of D. 
OCT 22 1917 



REGULATIONS GOVERNING PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS UNDER 
THE SELECTIVE SERVILE ACT OE MAY 18, 1917. 



Prepared by tire Surgeon General of the Army. 
Prescribed by tbe President of the United States. 



1. It is important, to begin with, that the examining physician 
should realize that there will be a certain proportion of men among 
those presenting themselves for examination who will endeavor to 
obtain exemption by dissimulation, varying from exaggeration of" 
an existing condition not disqualifying to downright malingering, 
and he should be prepared to protect the Government and himself 
against such attempts at deception. 

2. The physical examination should take place in a large, well- 
lighted room. The person examined is to be stripped. The exam- 
ining physician should proceed in substantially the following order, 
viz : 

(a) Observe the general condition of the skin, scalp, and cranium, 
ears, eyes, nose, mouth, face, neck, and chest. Take weight, height, 
and chest measurements. Accepted measurements are as follows, 
all chest measurements to be taken on a level just above the nipple: 



Hei 


?ht. 


Weight 


Chest measurement. 














(pounds). 


At axpira- 


Mobility 


Feet. 


Inches." 




tkm 








(lncbes). 


(tneh«s). 


5tz 


61 


118 


31 


2 


5A 


62 


120 


31 


2 


5A 


63 


124 


31 


2 


5r2 


64 


128 


32 


2 


5rz 


65 


130 


32' 


2 


K 6 
°12 


66 


132 


32| 


2 


5A 


67 


134 


33 


2 


K 8 
D TT2 


68 


141 


33-i- 


%\ 


K 9 
°T2" 


69 


148 


33£ 


2* 


510 

"l 2 


70 


155 


34 


2^ 


9tz 


71 


162 


341 


2h 


6 


72 


169 


34| 


3 


6^ 


73 


176 


354- 


3 


6 T % 


74 


183 


o^ 4 


3 


GA 


75 


190 


CGr 


3i 


* 
°T7 


76 


197 


374 


U 


CA 


77 


204 


37| 


31 


6^ 


78 


211 


QOl 
004 


4 



13804 °-17 



(3) 



The following variations below the standard given in the table are 
permissible, when the applicant is active, has firm muscles, and is 
evident!!/ rigorous and healthy : 



Height. 



Inches 
61 and under 64 

64 and under 68 

65 and under G9 

69 and under 70. 

70 and under 73 

73 and upward 



Chest at 
expiration. 



Inches. 



"Weight. 



Pounds. 



8 

10 
12 
15 
20 
24 



To be acceptable, men below 64 inches in height must be of good 
physique, well developed, and muscular. 

Variations in weight above the standard are not disqualifying, 
unless sufficient to constitute obesity. Unless exceptionally well pro- 
portioned, men above 6 feet 6 inches in height should be rejected. 

. ( o ) The arms being extended above the head, backs of hands to- 
gether, the applicant is required to cough vigorously; anj^ form of 
rupture may now be discovered by the hand and eye, but still better 
by the index finger passed up to the external ring. 

(c) The arms remaining extended above the head, the applicant is 
required to take a long step forward with the right foot and bend 
the right knee; the genital organs are now conveniently exposed and 
varicocele and other defects in the scrotum mav be recognized. 

(d) Arms down and the man required to separate the buttocks 
with his hands, at the same time bending forward; this exposes the 
anus. 

(e) Examine heart and lungs; rate of pulse and respiration. 

(/) Upper extremities: Make sure that all joints are free and 
supple, from the phalanges to the shoulder. 

(g) Lower extremities: The person under examination is required 
to leap directly up, striking the buttocks with the heels, to hop the 
length of the room on the ball of first one foot and then the other, 
to make a standing jump as far as possible and repeal it several times, 
to run the length of the room in double-time several times: after 
which his heart and lungs are reexamined. 

(h) Mental. — The mental examination should be such as to de- 
velop whether or not the' man examined is possessed of normal, 
sound understanding. 

(i) Vision. — To determine the acuity of vision, without ■ 
place the person under examination with back to window at a dis- 
tance of 20 feet from the test types. Examine each eye separately, 
without glasses, covering the other e}~e with a card (not with the 
hand). The applicant is directed to read the test n pes from the top 
of the chart clown as far as he can see, and his acuity of vision 
recorded for each eye, with the distance of 20 feet as the numerator 
of a fraction, and the size of the type of the lowest line he can read 
correctly as the denominator. If he reads the 20-feet type correctly, 
his vision is normal and recorded 20/20; if he does not read below 
the 30-feet type, the vision is imperfect and recorded 20/30; if he 
reads the 15-feet type, the vision is unusually acute and recorded 
20/15, etc. 



(j) In accordance with these conclusions, the minimum visual 
requirements are as follows: 20/40 for the better eye, and 20/100 for 
the poorer eye, provided that no organic disease exists in either eye. 

(Jc) Hearing. — To determine the acuity of hearing, place the ap- 
plicant facing away from an assistant who is 20 feet distant and 
direct him to repeat promptly the words spoken by the assistant. 
If he can not hear the words at 20 feet, the assistant should approach 
foot by foot, using the same voice, until the words are repeated cor- 
rectly. Examine each ear separately, closing the other ear by pressing 
the tragus firmly against the meatus. The examiner, whose hearing 
should be normal, faces in the same direction as the candidate and 
closes one of his own ears in the same way as a control. The assistant 
should use a low conversational voice (not a whisper), just plainly 
audible to the examiner, and should use numerals, names of places, 
or other words or sentences until the condition of the applicant's 
hearing is evident. The acuity of hearing is expressed in a fraction 
the numerator of which is the distance in feet at which the words are 
heard by the candidate and the denominator the distance in feet at 
which the words are heard by the normal ear; thus 20/20 records 
normal hearing, 10/20 imperfect hearing, etc. If any doubt should 
exist as to the truthfulness of the answers given, a watch should be 
used, care being taken that the individual does not know the distance 
from the ear at which it is being held ; the watch used should be one 
whose ticking strength has been tested by trial on a normal ear. The 
hearing with both ears open should not be below 10/20. 

3. The following defects are causes for rejection: 

Mental. — Lack of normal understanding. 

Shin. — Chronic, contagious, and parasitic diseases, when severe 
and extensive ; chronic ulcers, deep or extensive. 

Head. — Abrupt depression in skull, the consequence of old frac- 
ture. 

Spine. — Curvatures, caries, abscess. Lateral curvature is cause 
for rejection when it exceeds 1 inch to either side of the line of 
spinous processes, especially when it throws the shoulders out of 
symmetry. 

Ears. — All catarrhal and purulent forms of otitis media; perfora- 
tion of tympanum. 

Eyes.— Acuity of vision below the requirements of paragraph 
2 (j) ; conjunctival affections, including trachoma and entropion; 
strabismus, diseases of the lachrymal apparatus, exophthalmos, 
ptosis, asthenopia, nystagmus. 

Mouth, 'nose, and fauces. — Deformities interfering with mastica- 
tion or speech, chronic ulcerations, fissures or perforations of the 
hard palate, hypertrophy of the tonsils sufficient to interfere with 
respiration or phonation, loss of voice or manifest alteration of it. 
The person must have at least four serviceable molar teeth, two 
above and two below on one side and two above and two below on 
the other side, and so opposed as to serve the purpose of mastication. 
A good fitting bridge or plate where not more than one-half of the 
teeth are involved is not disqualifying. 

Obstruction of nostrils, or foul discharges indicative of ozena. 

Simple atrophic rhinitis is readily curable. Nasal polypi often 
mean chronic sinusitis, but are not a bar to acceptance for military 



service. Sunken or scarred nose is often indicative of syphilis, while 
a red bulbous nose suggests alcoholism or indigestion. 

Neck. — Pronounced goiter, great enlargement or ulcerations of the 
cervical glands. 

Chest — Disease of lungs and heart, especially in flat or narrow 
or malformed chest. In examining the heart care must be taken 
not to ascribe to disease the hurried, sharpfy accentuated action 
sometimes due to nervousness, fright, or embarrassment, or the 
irregular action caused by the excessive use of tobacco. Nor should 
the examiner attach undue importance to the soft systolic murmurs 
often heard in growing athletic youths, functional and temporary in 
their nature. 

A bdomen.— Chronic inflammations of the gastro-intestinal tract, 
including chronic diarrhea and dysentery and other diseases of the 
contained organs; great care should be exercised before exempting 
for these conditions; hernia in all situations. 

Anus. — Hemorrhoids of a pronounced type, prolapsus, fistula and 
fissures. 

Genito -urinary organs. — Syphilis when discernible by inspection 
and physical examination; tight urethral stricture, undescended 
testicle, chronic orchitis, marked hydrocele: chronic disease of the 
bladder and kidneys. Varicocele does not constitute a cause for re- 
jection unless it is so large as to interfere with locomotion; it fre- 
quently occurs among the most robust men and often without their 
being aware of its existence. Gonorrhea, acute and chronic, is not 
disqualifying, but individuals so affected should be advised immedi- 
ately to secure appropriate medical treatment pending receipt of or- 
ders to report for duty. 

Affections common to both extremities. — Chronic rheumatism and 
diseases of the joints of disabling type, irreducible dislocation or 
false joints^ old dislocations if attended with impairment of motion 
or distortion of the joint, severe sprains, chronic synovitis, badly 
united fractures, caries, necrosis, atrophy or paralysis, extensive or 
adherent scars, permanent contraction of muscles. 

Hands. — Webbed fingers, permanent flexion, extension or loss of 
motion of one or more fingers; loss or serious mutilation of either 
thumb, total loss of index finger of the right hand, total loss of 
any two fingers of the same hand, or loss of the second, and third 
phalanges of all the fingers of either hand. 

Loiver extremities. — Pronounced varicose veins, especisirj when at- 
tended with edema or marks of ulceration, pronounced knock-knees, 
club feet, flat feet, webbed toes, bunions, over-riding or marked dis- 
placement or deformity of any of the- toes, hammertoes. 

The shin bone, if rough, nodulated, and tender, suggests syphilis. 

A broad, flat sole is common in laboring classes, particularly 
among negroes, and is in no way disabling. In the flat foot which 
renders a man unfit for service the arch is so far gone that the en- 
tire border rests upon the ground, with the inner ankle lowered and 
very prominent and the foot apparently pushed outward. Flat feet 
are not infrequently the result of tuberculous process. 

4. Any of the physical deficiencies mentioned above must be pres- 
ent in such degree as to clearly and unmistakably disqualify the man 
for military service before he can be found to be physically deficient 
and not physically qualified for military service. 



5. Temporary effects of acute disease or of an injury are not to be 
regarded as justifying a finding that (lie person so affected is physi- 
cally deficient and not physically qualified for military service, but 
may be regarded as justifying a reasonable delay in completing the 
physical examination in order that an opportunity for recovery may 
be afforded. 

6. Upon the recommendation of the Provost Marshal General, 
medical officers will be directed, from time to time, to visit local 
boards for the purpose of observing the manner in which physical 
examinations are being conducted and conclusions based thereon. 
Such medical officers will be authorized to reexamine men whom the 
local boards have found to be physically deficient and not physically 
qualified for military service, and will be required to make a report 
of each such reexamination. 

7. These regulations may be modified at any time by the Presi- 
dent of the United States. 



Extracts From Compiled Rulings or Provost Marshal General 
Which Modify the Foregoing Regulations. 

Compiled Rulings No. £, August #, 1917. 

(e) Ruling of the Surgeon General on Regulations for Physical Examina- 
tion. 

The following ruling of the Surgeon General on regulations for 
physical examination should be observed : 

1. Under paragraph 2 (A). No departure from the present stand- 
ard should be made in the matter of height. In the matter of weight 
the following additional reductions may be allowed : 

61 to 63 inches, inclusive — no reduction from present standard. 
64 to 67 inches, inclusive — 5 to 6 pounds. 
67 to 69 inches, inclusive — 7 to 8 pounds. 
70 to 74 inches, inclusive — 9 to 10 pounds. 
Above 75 inches — 12 pounds. 

A reduction in chest measurement of one-half inch may be allowed 
in heights of above 68 inches, provided there is no disease of the chest 
or contained organs. 

2. Under paragraph 3 — mouth, nose and fauces. In the case of 
defective teeth the following may be allowed : 

A well-fitting artificial denture (bridge or plate) is allowed to take 
the place of missing teeth, provided the natural teeth present are 
sound and serviceable. If dental work will restore the teeth so as 
to meet requirements of proper mastication, the man should either 
be accepted or allowed sufficient time to have the necessary work 
done and enrolled later. 

3. Under paragraph 2 (i) the following should be added: 

Men may be accepted for the line of the Army when unable with 
either eye to read correctly 'all the letters on the 20/40 or 20/100 line, 
provided that they are able to read some of the letters on the line 
below. 



8 

4. Under the heading " Ears," paragraph 3, eliminate the present 
paragraph and substitute the following: 

Any discharge from the ear. Perforation of tympanum in a dry 
ear is not disqualifying, provided the hearing is 10/20 or better. 

Compiled Rulings No. 8, August 17, 1917, 

(d) Physical Examination : Reduction in Weight Requirements. 

The Surgeon General amends his regulations governing physical 
examinations so as to authorize acceptance of men 61 inches high, 
weighing not less than 110 pounds; 62 inches, same weight; 63 inches, 
not less than 112 pounds. The Surgeon General also authorizes 
acceptance of men 64 inches high and over of less than standard 
weight provided underweight is due to temporary causes and can, 
in the opinion of medical examiner, be reasonably explained. 

Compiled Rulings No. 10, August 27, 1917, 

(e) Flat Foot and Other Physical Deficiencies. 

The following ruling of the Surgeon General is published for the 
information of local boards : 

"The rules governing the matter of flat foot for men subject to 
the selective draft are fully set forth under the heading, ; Lower 
extremities,' paragraph 3 of the Regulations Governing Physical 
Examinations. In this paragraph it is specifically set forth that a 
broad, flat sole is common in laboring classes, particularly among 
negroes, and it is in no way disabling. 

" In this connection attention is invited to paragraph 4 of the 
regulations. It would seem, if the provisions of this paragraph are 
closely observed, that there would be no necessity for asking many of 
the questions now sent in by members of the local boards. This 
paragraph is as follows: 

" 'Any of the physical deficiencies mentioned above must be present 
in such degree as to clearly and unmistakably disqualify the man for 
military service before he can be found to be physically deficient and 
not physically qualified for military service.' " 

Examining physicians of local boards should consider the regula- 
tions as a guide to their discretion rather than a set of arbitrary 
rules destroying their discretion. The object is to procure men who 
are physically fit for the rigors of field service, and the determina- 
tion of this question is left to the guided and learned discretion of 
medical men and not wholly to a chart of arbitrary rules. 



Form No. 14, P. M. G. O. 

Prepared by the Surgeon General of the Army. 

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION 

UNDER THE 

SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT OF MAY 18, 1917 

(See instructions, page 4> 



(Surname) (Christian name.) 
Serial No. _ __ 



STATEMENT OF PERSON EXAMINED 

Have you found that your health and habits in any way interfere with your 
success in civil life? If so, give details: 



Do you consider that you are now sound and weil? If not, state details 



Have you ever been under treatment in a hospital or asylum? If so, for what 
ailment? __. ..._ 



I certify that the forego 1 '.* qtisstions and my answers thereto have been 
read over to me; that I fully understand the questions and that my answers 
thereto are correctly recorded and trise in all respects, 

I further certify that I have been fully informed and know that making 
or being a party to making asay false statement as to my fitness for military 
Service renders me liable to punishment by imprisonment. 



(Signature of person examined.) 



M. D., 

Examining Physician, 



Place, 

Date, . 



(9) 



(10) 

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION BY EXAMINING PHYSICIAN OF LOCAL BOARD 

(Person under examination stripped.) 

Weight, lbs.; height, inches. 

Girth of chest (at nipples): At expiration, inches. 

At inspiration, inches. 

General examination (head, chest, abdomen, extremities): 



Nose and throat: 



Heart: 



Genito-urinary organs (urine will be examined in suspicious cases): 



Hernia: 



Hemorrhoids: 

Flat foot or other deformities of feet: 



Eyes: 

Vision — Right eye, ; left eye, 

Ears: 

Hearing— Right ear, ; left ear, 

Teeth: 



Right. Left. 

Missing | Upper ' 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 
Teeth: [ Lower> 87654321 12345678 

(Strike out those that arc missing.) 



Remarks: 



I certify that I have carefully examined the person named on the first page 
hereof and have carefully recorded the results of the examination, asd that 
it is my judgment and belief that he is ^physically qualified for military 
service *physicaUy deficient and not physically qualified for military service 



by reason of- 



M. D., 

Examining Physician. 



Place, 
Date, . 



^Strike out clause not applicable. 



FINDING OF LOCAL BOARD 

Place, 1 

Date, . , 191 

The Local Board finds the parson named on the first page hereof *physically 
qualified for military service *physicaliy deficient and not physically qualified 

for military service by reason of ~^» 



Clerk, Local Board. 



Ezeeutive Officer, Local Board, 
*Strikc out clause not applicable. 



PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AT PLACE OF MOBILIZATION 

(Person under examination stripped.) 

Weight, lbs.; height, ._ _ inches. 

Girth of chest (at nipples): At expiration, _ inches. 

At inspiration, inches. 

General examination (head, chest, abdomen, extremities): 



Kose and throat: 



Heart: 



Genito-urinary organs (urine will be examined in suspicious cases): 



Hernia: 



Hemorrhoids 



Flat foct or other deformities of feet: 



Wassennann reaction: 



Eyes: 

Vision— Right eye, ; left eye, 

Ears: 

Hearing— Right ear, ___; left ear, . 



(12) 

Teeth: 



Right. Left. 
Missing (Upper, 87654321 12345678 
Teeth: [ Lower) 876 5 4321 12345678 
(Strike out those that are missing.) 
Remarks: 



I Certify that I have carefully examined the person named on the first page 
hereof and have carefully recorded the results of the examination, and that 
it is my judgment and belief that he is *physically qualified for military 
service *physically deficient and not physically qualified for military service 

by reason of 



Place, 
Date, 



*Strike out clause not applicable. 



INSTRUCTIONS 



1. The name of the person examined and the serial (red ink) number of 
his registration card will be entered in the spaces for that purpose on page 1 
exactly as they appear on his registration card. 

2. The questions under the heading "Statement of Person Examined" 
will be asked by the examining physician and the answers recorded by him 
before the person to be examined has been stripped. Any answer indicating a 
possible disqualification will be followed up by searching inquiry and exam- 
ination and the result noted in the examining physician's report. 

3. The physical examination will conform strictly to the requirements 
cf this form and all prescribed regulations and instructions governing 
physical examinations under the Selective Service Act of May IS, 1917. 

4. Deviations from normal, though riot cause for finding the person 
examined physically deficient and not physically qualified for military 
service, will be noted under the proper headings. 

5. The space under the Remarks will be used for continuation of an answer 
If the allotted space is insufficient, and for any further statement that the 
examining physician may desire to make. 

6. In each case in which, after examination by one examining physician, 
a reexamination by another is required by regulations, an independent 
report of the reexamination will be made on this form; and the word 
"Reexamination" will be entered in red ink under the. words "Serial 
Number" on the first page of the report of the reexamination. After com- 
pletion of the reexamination the report thereof will be permanently attached 
to the report of the original examination. 



WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 191T 



Gaylord Bros. 

Makers 
Syracuse. N. Y. 

PAT. JAR. 21. 1908 



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